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How To Prepare Your Lawn For The Winter Season

In the fall, we tend to our lawn and prepare it for the harsh winter months in Nova Scotia. Fall comes right after the summer drought and before the winter frost, so it is the perfect time to repair any damage your lawn has taken and prepare it for the long Canadian winter season. You want to ensure your property continues to thrive under the brutal winter weather and be blessed with a robust lawn when spring arrives.

 

Here are four tips on preparing your lawn for the cold Canadian winters. 

 
  • Clear any debris 

The fall season is when trees shed, and the wind blows, leaving lots of unwanted remains on your lawn. When getting your property ready for the winter, remove any debris left on it, such as leaves, branches and weeds. There is a good chance that debris will pile up on your lawn in the fall, which, if not cleaned up, could lead to your lawn suffocating before winter even arrives. In addition, germs and disease will likely be invited if debris is left on your lawn and becomes too wet. 

 

  • Mow the lawn

When mowing the lawn in preparation for the first snowfall, it is crucial to keep it short. The ideal length to ensure your lawn’s resistance is about 4 cm. Maintaining this length allows your grass to protect itself from frost and help its roots develop. 

 

  • Aerate and Fertilize 

3-4 weeks before the first frost hits Nova Scotia is an excellent time to aerate and fertilize your lawn. Aerating your lawn will give it a last chance to breathe before the grass goes dormant for the winter and help alleviate any compaction that has built up during the summertime. Fertilizing your lawn provides nourishment as it prepares for the cold weather. The grassroots absorb and stock the nutrients during the winter season. Once spring arrives, your lawn gets a head start by taping into those stored nutrients, making it green and lush as the warm weather settles in. 

 

  • Overseed

Overseeding is, in the wintertime, the best way to bring your lawn back to life after a long hot summer of kids playing, weeds growing, and people gathering around the yard. Rather than getting messy and spending tons of money on reseeding your entire property, overseeding is a cost-effective and easy way to help your lawn reach its full potential. Using the cold weather to your advantage, the soil becomes more broken apart when the grass freezes and thaws, creating a perfect spot for grass seeds to be added. In addition, the further the earth breaks down, the deeper the seed will go into the ground, getting it ready to germinate once warm temperatures arrive. 

 

These four basic steps will ensure that your lawn is well cared for and maintained throughout the winter. Once the snow melts, your lawn may not look the prettiest right away, but you can rest assured that it will return to its beautiful state once spring rolls around.

 

Are you living in Nova Scotia and have no time for spring and fall cleanup? Then, contact us, and we will be happy to do the work for you!